Tunku Abdul Aziz

mysinchew.com

Najib’s 1Malaysia propaganda campaign, now in full swing, has taken on the uncanny appearance of a blitzkrieg that would have the Fuehrer of the Third Reich double up in the Reichstag in uncontrollable ecstasy. It really is that funny. The single-minded mindless saturation bombardment of the media, at what financial cost we will never know, has already begun to show all the tell tale signs of mental fatigue and psychological rejection. I am told that it is not unlike the metal fatigue that put a premature end to the promising start of the world’s first commercial jetliner, the Comet operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation more than four decades ago. Perhaps there is a lesson the 1Malaysia strategists could learn from history about over indulgence. There can be too much of a good thing for their own good.

I have been asking our prime minister, as indeed many others, to venture beyond sloganeering and spell out in terms that are concise and clear what he has in mind when pontificating on what appears to thinking Malaysians to be nothing more than a party dogma being shoved down their throats as part of a ploy to regain the non-Bumi electoral support. If Najib really believes that voters are going to buy his half-baked1Malaysia cake as an article of faith- that is more form than substance, he should put it to the test by going back to the country for a fresh authority or mandate to govern. His legitimacy is in serious doubt. The UMNO process of succession is open to question.

The unfortunate impression I get is that 1Malaysia is all about the pathetic charade of bonhomie and back-slapping of the ‘open house’ variety. Please do not get me wrong: I am not an unsociable sloth. I do like some people, believe it or not. My point is that if it is national unity that the admirable prime minister really wants for Malaysia’s sustainable future, then the trick is to work towards achieving smooth and seamless integration that will stand the test of time.

National unity is not a product that can be created by legislation or administrative edict or order; it is a process that requires a complete change of behaviour and attitude, a mental overhaul that can only be achieved through a dynamic social, economic and political regime that puts equality of opportunity at the very top of our national agenda. We need to put great store by equal opportunity in education in particular because to me it is immoral and ethically unacceptable to discriminate against the innocent and vulnerable young by depriving them of their rights to higher education. How, in heaven’s name can we expect them to identify themselves with the country of their birth if, in spite of their achieving more than the standards set, still fail to gain a place? A policy of exclusiveness can produce only one outcome–disaster! There is plenty of evidence to be seen in our society of the futility of pursuing this evil policy. Equal opportunity must be the cornerstone of national unity.

While I can readily understand the underlying imperatives of the New Economic Policy, I do not accept that you can justify positive discrimination except by implementing it in strict observance of its aim which is to alleviate poverty of Malaysians irrespective of ethnicity or religious leanings. But as we all know, the spirit of what was intended to be a great social leveller has from its inception been blatantly violated for the benefit of the few politically connected self-proclaimed Melayu Baru, a breed happily mired in corruption in all its manifestations.

For true national unity to emerge, we must go back to basics, revisiting the freedoms and rights guaranteed for all Malaysians. The NEP must be applied to all who need support. The draconian Internal Security Act as applied to date has no place in our society. Enact a new Anti-Terrorism Act for that specific application, and not to use it to terrorise and inflict pain and suffering on our own people. I wonder if Najib’s ideas which underpin his 1Malaysia will ever converge with the modest and legitimate expectations of our multi-cultural society.

I am inclined to believe that people should be left to their own devices, and just as water eventually finds its own level, so do people. The duty of the government is to govern in ways that put the welfare and the interests of the people above all other considerations. In effect this means a system of governance based on best universal practice that, by implication, is free from corruption which according to Transparency International is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Could the founding fathers of TI in 1993 have been thinking about our political leadership when they developed this formulation? I wonder.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) — The Commonwealth needs to define one issue on which it can speak with one voice and not try to replicate the United Nations or other similar better organised and funded agencies as it may defuse its capability, said Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, who was formerly a management director of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London from 1985-1992.

He said the member countries need to re-look the purpose of its existence and that the 60-year-old Commonwealth grouping should not be expected to speak in one voice on all issues.

“It has to look at the goals, the achievements, it has to be self-critical. Don’t forget to question ourselves, are we on the right track or have we achieved our previous objectives?” he said when speaking as a panel member at the “Malaysia and The Commonwealth Forum” themed “A Common Future?”, here on Monday.

Tunku Abdul Aziz said the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), the civil society organisation which facilitates public consultation on the grouping, should also look at areas which the Commonwealth had the capacity to achieve results.

Commonwealth members should concentrate on issues that the association could handle with its present resources, he added.

RCS director Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, who attended the forum, said it wanted to find issues in which the Commonwealth could best serve.

“We want to find issues where the Commonwealth can help in a unique way. The first thing is to find the key priority that the Commonwealth is going to work on, either to focus on the issue of democracy, climate change, youth or education,” said Sriskandarajah.

The RCS launched a global poll dubbed “The Commonweatlh Conversation” in July this year to engage the public on the future of the Commonwealth.

The results will be presented to the coming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago next month.

– BERNAMA

By HARIATI AZIZAN, JOSEPH LOH and RASHVINJEET S. BEDI (The Star)

Last week, the Auditor-General’s Report made headlines again as it exposed more poor administration and mismanagement of funds. Will sterner action be taken against the offenders this time?

A WHOPPING RM42,320 for an outdated-model laptop. A swivel chair price-tagged between RM810 and RM1,050. Yes, it is that time of the year again where we get to gasp in shock at some of the outrageous procurements and financial negligence of our hapless civil service.

The Auditor-General’s (AG) Report for 2008 was tabled in Parliament last Monday, and as in recent years, it highlighted the mismanagement of public funds by those entrusted to balance the country’s books.

The gross expenditures mentioned above were made by Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara Balik Pulau, Penang, which also spent RM2.08mil buying computer software it allegedly didn’t need.

It seems like only yesterday that another government training college, the National Youth Skills Institute or IKBN (under the administration of the Youth and Sports Ministry), was rapped for spending RM8.39mil above the market price for certain equipment – including a RM224 screwdriver set (of four) which had a RM40 market price; a RM5,700 car jack that would normally cost a mere RM50; and RM8,254 digital cameras that were retailing at RM2,990.

And what about the RM418,145 of welfare aid paid out to 184 undocumented –possibly non-existent – people, out of which 26 were confirmed dead? The 2006 report also showed that some other “dead” poor were receiving welfare aid.

The improprieties revealed by Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang and the National Audit Department (NAD) this year again lay bare the weaknesses in the public system, which allow for incompetence and transgression to occur, if not flourish.

Worse, the report highlighted that federal ministries and departments generally have not shown much progress in managing their finances last year despite the measures taken to correct weaknesses in the system.

In fact, the report stated, many departments had spent in excess of their budgets.

Yet, despite the widespread media coverage, heated discussions among the public as well as the powerful backlash from detractors of the Government that followed the reports of mismanagement of funds in the past years, the weaknesses remain.

Why do cases of such misappropriation of public funds, ill-advised government investments, and delays in major government projects still persist?

And the crucial question that begs to be answered: “Will there be any action taken on the perpetrators of the alleged corrupt practices as documented in the report?”

Token action

Ambrin has repeatedly said the NAD has no jurisdiction to penalise offenders highlighted in the report.

“The NAD has no power to prosecute. The power to impose penalty for criminal acts lies with the court, whereas the power to impose surcharge for delinquent officers is with the Finance Ministry. Any disciplinary action will then be the responsibility of the heads of department,” he told reporters last year.

Where there are instances of corruption which can be proven in court, the court will impose appropriate penalties, he reiterated, explaining that corruption has to be proven according to the law, and it has to be substantiated with evidence and witnesses.

As such, investigation can only be done by authorities such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) or the police.

MACC has assured that it would proceed with the necessary action should it find any irregularity in the AG’s report 2008, which it is studying to unearth elements of corruption, misconduct and abuse of power in the management of public funds.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has also been quick to say that action will be taken against those found guilty of misusing government funds.

Expressing his disappointment with the misconduct and abuse in the public sector, he assured that there would naturally be “punitive measures” for those identified.

In April last year, Najib, who was then DPM, had also vowed to correct the deficiencies in the public system as exposed by the 2006 AG’s report.

True to his word, he instituted key performance indicators (KPIs) and key result areas (KRAs) to measure the performance of the civil service, as part of the system of good governance.

Similarly, in 2007, after yet another edition of the A-G’s report was tabled, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan announced that investigations will be conducted on government officers and staff implicated of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by the report. He assured that they would either be charged in court or face disciplinary action, and added that the Government would make public the “punishment” taken against them.

Sidek then proclaimed that the Public Service Department would also come out with a “demotion and disciplined” list every quarter so that the people would know action had been taken.

While some of the measures promised have been implemented – the spate of arrests of those involved were reported – the effectiveness of the “cleanup” measures is yet to be seen.

To date, fewer than 20 people have reportedly been arrested for the abuses and misconduct highlighted by the 2006 AG report.

The familiar tune emitting from the recent report further indicates that the crux of the problem has likely not been addressed.

Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, former president of Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M), doubts if any action will be taken against the perpetrators.

“Based on past records, I doubt that anything is going to happen. And next year there will be a repeat of the same thing. Those involved have never been hauled up or investigated. This happens because there is no political will,” says Tunku Aziz who is also the former special advisor to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General on the establishment of the ethics office.

He stresses that many of the cases highlighted by the AG’s report are tantamount to criminal offences as they involve cheating and breach of trust.

“Over the years, nothing has been done and why should it be any different now. The auditor-general has highlighted some very serious examples of poor governance, which should not be tolerated,” he laments, adding that in most countries, the AG’s reports are taken very seriously.

“The report here is not even discussed in parliament and given the attention it deserves,” he says.

Former audit officer Gursharan Singh concurs.

“The lack of action reflects badly on the different parties involved, from the Executive (the Government) to the enforcement agencies and judiciary. Some might think that they are colluding with each other,” says the pensioner who worked with the NAD for over 30 years.

TI-M secretary-general Dr Loi Kheng Min agrees that it is important for the authorities to demonstrate that they are serious in addressing the issue.

“They need to show that it is not just lip service. Although we already have the necessary agencies such as the MACC, the priority is not there and many are not bold enough to go all the way with the enforcement,” he says, stressing that it is crucial for the Government to enhance the effectiveness of the regulating agencies.

Dr Loi proposes that a compliance committee be set up to follow up the misconduct and abuse cases reported by the AG.

“The committee can focus on reviewing the report and recommend appropriate action to be taken.”

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) vice-chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw, however, points out that the PAC is a body which can scrutinise the report and recommend for appropriate action.

“In fact, we are meeting the AG and his team on Wednesday for a full briefing on the report and we will then discuss its content and deliberate on possible action,” he says.

Although disappointed that the 2008 AG’s report has revealed more mismanagement of public funds, Dr Tan is nevertheless confident that the system in place is adequate to take the errant individuals to justice.

Still, he stresses, the modus operandi of the public administration offices needs to be reviewed.

Dr Loi agrees, saying: “We need to review existing procurement guidelines. Are they outdated? We also need to be more open and transparent in our tender system. This may help reduce the abuse of public finances.”

Gursharan Singh echoes the need for a more transparent open tender system.

“In Malaysia, contracts are substantially awarded on a consideration basis. This usually translates into low quality, bad planning, high cost and poor maintenance,” he says, adding that the Malaysian tender system used to be competitive but deteriorated after a change of administration policy in 1982.

Tunku Aziz strongly believes that the Government must do something to show that they do not tolerate the mismanagement that is happening – or risk losing public confidence.

“Unless they are seen to be serious, people will lose confidence in them. I am also talking about the Government agencies. The bad leadership in the various agencies and departments have allowed this situation to develop,” he says.

“Otherwise there is no point in having an auditor-general’s office. It should be closed down.”

Citing the example of the Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara in Penang, Tunku Aziz says the institution should be closed down for financial mismanagement,

“These are public funds and someone should be held responsible,” he says.

Mohd Nazree Mohd Yunus, chairman for the Civil Movement Against Corruption (Gerak), believes the AG himself should lodge reports with the MACC in cases where there were mismanagement of funds and power.

“He has the authority to do so because he was involved in the report,” says Nazree.

He says that Gerak would be willing to make the reports if they were given the relevant records and documents from the Auditor-General’s office.

Nazree also suggests that government servants themselves lodge the reports.

“It would be a new culture and would show that the officers have integrity,” he says.

mysinchew.com

If there is one person whom I admire for his sustained contribution to tackling corruption in societies across the world, it is Bertrand de Speville, the author of a soon to be published down to earth practical book, written specially for high level anti-corruption decision makers in the cabinet rooms, and the legislative chambers, in the developed and the developing world.

This book is destined to become a standard work for those who, by virtue of their high political office, are assigned the unenviable task of developing national anti-corruption policies. They will obviously need to have a grasp of the essentials in order to confront corruption decisively. This is where this book, written in language that is direct and concise, comes into its own.

It does not claim to be the last word on preventing the spread of corruption, about which much has been written by academic theoreticians and international institutional experts. Typically, the author chooses to offer his work instead as a modest “briefing note” for those with responsibility for developing practical and effective policies to fight the scourge we now call corruption that impoverishes nations and retards orderly and sustainable social, economic and political growth in communities that need it most.

Fighting corruption, like corruption itself, has taken on the status of a growth industry, and the proliferation of books on this subject is bewildering. Unfortunately, they are nothing more than interesting academic exercises and, from my standpoint, have little practical value for a busy decision maker or a legislator who wants to get straight to the heart of the matter.

This book, which I have been privileged to cast an eye in draft, lives up to its author’s aim of helping those who provide advice to governments on what it takes to get the job done good, and done well. Its appearance could not have been more timely as nations are shedding their natural ambivalence towards corrupt practices, and are showing greater determination to get to grips with a condition that they realise, from examples elsewhere, can be brought under control with a combination of strong political will, appropriate legal framework and public support.

I have for many years followed closely Bertrand de Speville’s anti-corruption strategies from the time he was appointed Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong, right up to the present. He has reinvented himself since Hong Kong where he made his mark as a thinking, pragmatic leader and built the Independent Commission Against Corruption into the world’s leading anti-corruption outfit. The ICAC Hong Kong model is synonymous with high standards of professionalism and dedication that other anti- corruption organisations can only dream about.

This excellent book reveals a side of the man who today is a much respected and sought after international consultant; his highly developed sense of fairness and equity even as he suggests tough measures to make corruption an unprofitable enterprise speaks volumes of his personal integrity. He believes that much as we want to bring corruption under control, we must never let our passion and outrage get in the way of the rule of law.

Bertrand de Speville has shown us that there is no substitute for strict observance of the legal niceties in pursuing our anti-corruption objectives. His legal training and subsequent distinguished career, culminating in his appointment as Solicitor General Hong Kong prior to his heading the ICAC must have influenced the way he reshaped what was to become, during his stewardship, a respected fighting organisation that carried out its difficult remit by showing the people of Hong Kong that there was really only one law for all.

In the years I have known Bertrand de Speville professionally, I have come to the honest conclusion many share with me that what he does not know about fighting corruption is not worth knowing.

I commend this publication when it appears in the world’s bookshops to all whose job it is to develop and implement national anti-corruption policies and strategies. It will, no doubt, I am sure, be equally useful to those who want to add to their knowledge on what it takes to get the job done.

About this time each year when Transparency International in Berlin releases its Corruption Perceptions Index, there are many in high places chewing their sticky, dirty fingers while keeping them crossed, hoping against hope, that the world would be kinder and Malaysia’s score on the corruption league table would come out more favourably than last year’s and all the previous years since the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index was first released in 1995. The prayers of the corrupt in government and politics have been ignored again. The predictability of it all is uncanny. The question is why are we continually perceived as corrupt, and are the perceptions justified?

The ambivalence of Tun Mahathir to corruption during his 22 year administration was never in dispute. In a perverse sort of way, he was charmingly honest and did not try to pretend that he was against corrupt practices. He was a great “in the national interest man” who saw corruption not in monochrome, but in glorious Technicolor which could even be made to look extremely attractive seen through his 20/20 Vision however sordid it is in reality.

I am sure the great visionary of all that is tallest, longest and biggest did not lose any sleep over the many shady deals involving Bank Negara and the Employees Provident Fund that, but for the grace of God and the beneficence of the milch cow that is Petronas, would have rendered us insolvent and a hostage of the IMF. He made no promises to fight corruption, and we did not expect anything from him in this respect. He was, by my definition, a corrupt man.

His successor, the one term wonder, affectionately known as Pak Lah of the “work with me and not for me” fame, was made from a different mould. A perfectly decent human being, he possessed impressive religious and moral credentials. When he declared that his top priority was to take the war against corruption into enemy territory, the country rejoiced, but it was to be short lived. A lot of white washing here and there, and a little tinkering around the edges did nothing to reduce corruption. If anything, the consensus was that corruption during Pak Lah’s watch was worse than when Mahathir held sway over us.

As Pak Lah himself admitted without saying so in so many words, there were other more pressing matters requiring his attention that it was only in the twilight of his stewardship that he woke up and realised that there was a little promise he had made that he had to fulfil. So in great haste, all he managed to do, bless the poor man, was to leave behind a less than useless legacy in the shape of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission which on present showing is useful neither to man nor beast. And that is being charitable.

The first anti-corruption public relations exercise was the setting up of the National Institute of Integrity Malaysia which, while trying its best to justify its existence, has achieved next to nothing because it is seen as being unable to focus on its mission. Institutions of themselves are not as important as what their people do inside their often magnificent buildings. Malaysia’s dismal failure to curb corruption as effectively as Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, the cleanest in this region, has everything to do with the leadership in government, the Attorney-General’s chambers, the police and the MACC.

It all comes down to people in the end. Mere institutions without people of honour and integrity to lead them do not amount to anything. Remember that saying about how you can fool some people some of the time, but not all people all of the time. It is a lesson that seems to have escaped our leadership.

With one scam after another swirling around their ankles on a daily basis, our leaders, no matter what tricks they try to come up with, have all but lost their high moral ground from which to sermonise on the evils of corruption. The country is mired in corruption and every level of the service has been touched by corruption, defined as the “abuse of entrusted power for personal gain, and official corruption in our country is escalating to enormous heights because there is no political will to begin with.

The thing to remember about the Corruption Perceptions Index is that it reflects the views of the expatriate business community, resident in our country. They are the people who are sought to respond to questionnaires about corruption in our country. And they are not blind to what is going on in their dealings with the government. True, many have no direct experience of being subjected to official extortion, but they exchange stories which are the basis of their perceptions.

There were several countries that were written off as chronically and systemically corrupt and have succeeded remarkably in breaking out of the vicious cycle of corruption. Corruption is not part of our culture and yet we have allowed it to become our way of life.

We are the product of our environment and the government has a responsibility for creating an environment that makes corruption a “high risk, low return business.” But to do that the Prime Minister must lead by example and must confront corruption in all its manifestation, no matter who commits it. A real challenge for Najib if he can find some time to drop his 1Malaysia and look at corruption in the face.

I am not at all sanguine at all about our future as a nation if, by default, we look the other way when disaster is heading straight at us. We will slide further and will have for company those countries that we used to look down upon because we were cleaner. Yes, there was a time, when Tunku Abdul Rahman was prime minister, when corruption only happened in other countries and when ministers and senior Malayan Civil Service officers lived well, well within their means.

Najib must shake off all traces of corruption within our system of governance if Malaysia is to reappear on the competitiveness radar screen of countries that foreign investors feel confident to park their money. Is Najib up to the challenge? (By TUNKU ABDUL AZIZ/MySinchew)

By YENG AI CHUN (The Star)

PETALING JAYA: Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) will hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to discuss the controversial Global Corruption Report (GCR) 2009 as well as other leadership issues.

Acting president Datuk Mohamed Iqbal said the objective of the EGM was to brief members about the report and decide if there was a need for a change in the executive council.

“The exco has agreed to convene an EGM as soon as possible to address the issues and if necessary, to step down, thus providing the opportunity for the members to elect a new exco,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Early this month, Datuk Paul Low resigned as president after his release of the Malaysian Chapter of the Berlin-based report, which cited the Port Klang Free Zone controversy as the biggest scandal of the year.

Low took responsibility of releasing the report without the exco reviewing it.

Since the GCR report was released, certain parties in the country have planned to sue TI-M, including businessman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

Exco member Tan Sri Datuk Robert Phang also questioned the report’s accuracy and has since resigned, along with inaugural president and former vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz.

Mohamed Iqbal said a special meeting was called on Oct 5 to address issues relating to the report, and the minutes of the meeting were endorsed and passed by the exco on Monday.

“I am pleased to inform that the leadership of TI-Malaysia is solid and our organisation shall continue to devote itself to fighting and curbing corruption,” he said.

He added that the report was made up of three sections: thematic focus, country reports and research, and Malaysia was included in the 47 country reports.

By YENG AI CHUN (The Star)

PETALING JAYA: Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) will hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to discuss the controversial Global Corruption Report (GCR) 2009 and its leadership crisis.

Acting president Datuk Mohamed Iqbal said the objective of the EGM was to brief members about the report and decide if there was a need for a change in the executive council (exco).

“The exco has agreed to convene an EGM as soon as possible to address the issues and if necessary, to step down, thus providing the opportunity for members to elect a new exco,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Early this month, Datuk Paul Low resigned as president in the light of differing views after his release of the Malaysian Chapter of the Berlin-based report, which cited the Port Klang Free Zone controversy as the biggest scandal of the year.

Low took responsibility for releasing the report without the exco reviewing it.

Since the GCR report was released, certain parties in the country have threatened to sue TI-M, including businessman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

Exco member Tan Sri Datuk Robert Phang also questioned the accuracy of the report and has since resigned, along with inaugural president and former vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz.

Mohamed said a special meeting has been called on Oct 5 to address issues relating to the report. Minutes of the meeting were endorsed and passed by the exco during a meeting on Monday.

“I am pleased to inform that the leadership of TI-Malaysia is solid and our organisation shall immediately continue to devote itself to fighting and curbing corruption.

“It is important to note that the GCR is an annual assessment of the state of corruption around the world with a yearly thematic focus, which in 2009 was devoted to the private sector. The report brings together leading experts and practitioners to identify and analyse new challenges, as well as explore solutions,” he said.

He added that the report is made up of three sections: thematic focus, country reports and research, and Malaysia is included in the 47-country report. “TI-Malaysia and the international secretariat of Transparency International based in Berlin confirm that the Malaysia country report is accurate,” he said.

Mohamed said that the process involved consultation between the GCR editorial team at TI-S Berlin, author Greg Lopez and TI-Malaysia.

“This was followed by a double-blind review, fact- and libel-checking carried out by TI-S Berlin. The editorial team in charge of the GCR confirms that TI-Malaysia’s contribution to the report underwent all of these procedures,” he said.

Malaysian Insider

OCT 10 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak does not disappoint. He is true to his values whatever they might be. He upholds his principles with messianic zeal. His principles are of indeterminate provenance, but Najib is not known to worry himself to distraction over such small matters. He has made many of us happy. It has nothing to do with his 1 Malaysia vision that he seems incapable of articulating to save his life, let alone convincing Malaysians who have decided that half a century of untruths and specious, convoluted political and social arguments should be more than enough for even the most sanguine of them.

Najib has made us happy not because in a fit of mental aberration or misplaced exuberance he has added to his fantasy world the even a more preposterous 1 World vision that flashed across his mind. I bet it was a very brief moment in time. Najib has made us deliriously happy because he has just done something blatantly cynical to confirm what we have known all along about his attitude to corruption. Najib does not disappoint.

His choice of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad as the BN candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election has left absolutely no doubt in our minds about Najib’s real attitude to corruption. He, ever the pragmatic, suave man about town leader of a country already systematically mired in corruption, sees it as nothing more that a necessary evil. If you cannot fight it, join it.

His matter of fact response that “Even those convicted by the courts get another chance” must surely single him out, like a sore thumb even among the corrupt leaders of 1 Malaysia, as someone totally devoid of ethical values. It also points to a complete lack of the political will to curb corrupt practices in our country. The gap between his rhetoric and constructive action against corruption is growing ever wider under Najib. Just in case he forgets, the Kuala Lumpur-based diplomatic corps and the wider international community are watching this development with some concern. Najib does not disappoint.

Bagan Pinang is a little backwater of a community on the Negri Sembilan coast. However, the choice of a candidate that even Umno, the party that sits well with corruption and takes it in its stride, was constrained to discipline marks a low point indeed. The much detested and reviled corruption-tainted and Isa has now been declared perfectly “kosher” to represent the country’s ruling coalition. Politics is indeed the art of the possible.

Can we trust a government that is prepared to trade integrity? And for a rural state assembly seat which, the winning or losing of which, is not going to have a material effect on the political fate of BN in overall terms? I, unlike Najib, do not subscribe to the second chance dispensation because political corruption will ravage national values and systems. Are we blind to the fact that it was Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s special brand of corrupt political stewardship, now still in place unfortunately, that has stifled our potential for dynamic growth, and kept us, in spite of the resources at our disposal, at the wrong end of the global competitiveness league table?

Political corruption if not dealt with decisively will destroy our nation because the national decision-making processes will be distorted and manipulated. “State capture” by corrupt elements will be the end result. We cannot allow the country’s future to be hijacked by unprincipled politicians, by default. Fighting corruption is our individual and collective responsibility as citizens. It cannot be left to the tender mercies of the corrupt in the corridors of power.

Now that Najib has dropped all pretence of queasiness about bedding down with corruption, he could do us all a big favour and save taxpayers a lot of money by closing down the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Institute of Integrity and all the other related agencies because he has made his position on corruption so clear. They are of no use to man or beast.

And while we are about it, Najib may want to propose a general amnesty for all who have been convicted of corruption as well as those who have committed corrupt acts, but lucky enough not to be caught. This is totally consistent with his belief that the corrupt deserve a second chance, an official passport to Najib’s 1 Malaysia where anything goes and the devil looks after his own. Najib does not disappoint.

Malaysians are now being treated to a display of arrogance unprecedented in the history of BN administration, and the choice of Isa, in all the circumstances, flies in the face of what little is left that is decent and honourable in our national life, worth preserving. Even by Umno’s and, by extension, Najib’s own standards, this is a very low point, and that is putting it charitably. Najib does not disappoint.

Little Bagan Pinang will without a doubt deliver the seat that Najib so devoutly yearns to have. He needs it to prop his shaky leadership. Bagan Pinang will in the end be remembered in history as the place where Umno lost its moral bearing, credibility and legitimacy to lead the Malays. Umno’s ugly nakedness in surrendering ethical values and principles to political expediency is here for all to see: it will be its undoing. Najib does not disappoint. He never does!

mysinchew.com

Transparency International (TI) is the only international non-governmental organisation specialised in curbing corruption, but the TI-Malaysia is currently having a dispute. As a monitoring organisation, it is unable to set a good example but has caused unnecessary quarrels. How is it going to fight corruption and play its role well?

TI was established in 1993 and it has set up branches in 120 countries. Its objective is to bring incorruptible people from different governments, businesses and societies together through its branches in order to create change towards “a world free of corruption”.

Malaysia is facing a serious corruption and the efficiency of law enforcement units is not satisfactory. The country is in need of an non-governmental organisation to call on people with conscience to fight corruption together with the domestic social forces. The split of the organisation has dealt a blow to the followers’ morale and reflected that even such a noble organisation is unable to escape from personnel issues.

It is ironic that in the earlier released Global Corruption Report (GCR) 2009, TI revealed the complex relationships among political party members, officials and entrepreneurs in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal. It also described the common thread running through politics, the civil service and private sector as a “revolving door”. And now, we can see that the leadership of TI-Malaysia is in fact “complicated”, too.

Datuk Paul Low, who has resigned as President of TI-Malaysia, is a former MCA life member. He resigned from MCA on 19 June this year after he was questioned by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang. Low had joined MCA in 1991, which means that, he had a political background when he was the President of TI-Malaysia. The leader of an anti-corruption organisation must transcend politics so he will have no scruples in performing his duty. TI-Malaysia has failed to ensure that MCA leaders are not involving in corruption, especially when MCA leaders are also cabinet ministers.

Just like an unwritten code of Sin Chew Daily, journalists are not allowed to join any political party, so as not to affect fairness and neutrality of news reporting. How is a journalist with a political stand going to play the “Fourth Estate” role? Similar to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials and the police, they should transcend politics in order to professionally perform their duties.

When Low was appointed as a PKFZ task force member by the Transport Minister on 10 June and the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Administration and Corporate Governance, he was still a MCA member. It might not necessarily affect his profession, but it would trigger a discussion.

On the other hand, TI-Malaysia founder Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim has joined DAP on 23 Aug last year and sworn in as a DAP senator in July this year. Based on the same principle, he should have resigned earlier.

Politics has invaded many areas and organisations, causing many unnecessary disputes and troubles. Hopefully, TI-Malaysia may draw a line between the organisation and politics as soon as possible to defend its credibility and professionally, return to its anti-corruption duty. (By LIM SUE GOAN/Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily)

Transparency International (TI) is the only international non-governmental organisation specialised in curbing corruption, but the TI-Malaysia is currently having a dispute. As a monitoring organisation, it is unable to set a good example but has caused unnecessary quarrels. How is it going to fight corruption and play its role well?

TI was established in 1993 and it has set up branches in 120 countries. Its objective is to bring incorruptible people from different governments, businesses and societies together through its branches in order to create change towards “a world free of corruption”.

Malaysia is facing a serious corruption and the efficiency of law enforcement units is not satisfactory. The country is in need of an non-governmental organisation to call on people with conscience to fight corruption together with the domestic social forces. The split of the organisation has dealt a blow to the followers’ morale and reflected that even such a noble organisation is unable to escape from personnel issues.

It is ironic that in the earlier released Global Corruption Report (GCR) 2009, TI revealed the complex relationships among political party members, officials and entrepreneurs in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal. It also described the common thread running through politics, the civil service and private sector as a “revolving door”. And now, we can see that the leadership of TI-Malaysia is in fact “complicated”, too.

Datuk Paul Low, who has resigned as President of TI-Malaysia, is a former MCA life member. He resigned from MCA on 19 June this year after he was questioned by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang. Low had joined MCA in 1991, which means that, he had a political background when he was the President of TI-Malaysia. The leader of an anti-corruption organisation must transcend politics so he will have no scruples in performing his duty. TI-Malaysia has failed to ensure that MCA leaders are not involving in corruption, especially when MCA leaders are also cabinet ministers.

Just like an unwritten code of Sin Chew Daily, journalists are not allowed to join any political party, so as not to affect fairness and neutrality of news reporting. How is a journalist with a political stand going to play the “Fourth Estate” role? Similar to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials and the police, they should transcend politics in order to professionally perform their duties.

When Low was appointed as a PKFZ task force member by the Transport Minister on 10 June and the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Administration and Corporate Governance, he was still a MCA member. It might not necessarily affect his profession, but it would trigger a discussion.

On the other hand, TI-Malaysia founder Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim has joined DAP on 23 Aug last year and sworn in as a DAP senator in July this year. Based on the same principle, he should have resigned earlier.

Politics has invaded many areas and organisations, causing many unnecessary disputes and troubles. Hopefully, TI-Malaysia may draw a line between the organisation and politics as soon as possible to defend its credibility and professionally, return to its anti-corruption duty. (By LIM SUE GOAN/Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily)